2022 MPO Worlds Recap
The 2022 Disc Golf World Championship concluded this weekend in Emporia, Kansas, where Paul McBeth was crowned World Champion in the MPO division. This was Paul’s sixth time winning at Worlds, but it marked the longest drought in his career, having not won a world title since 2019.
Final Round Recap
The final round on Saturday ended with a dramatic back-and-forth battle between McBeth and Aaron Gossage. Gossage entered the final round with a 3-stroke lead on McBeth. That cushion disappeared by the end of hole 6, and McBeth took a 1-stroke lead at hole 10. The drama intensified as the lead changed hands or returned to a shared lead on each of the last five holes played.
McBeth’s lead evaporated on hole 15 when he drove into a guardian tree, taking a rough roll straight into out-of-bounds. He managed to save bogey from the drop zone while Gossage parked the hole for an easy birdie putt to retake the lead.
On the infamous island hole 16 at Emporia Country Club, both competitors landed just long of the basket on the island green with challenging putts back toward the water. Gossage’s first putt fell just short, bouncing off the front of the cage and settling safely at the base of the basket. Paul McBeth made his putt to regain a share of the lead.
Holes 17 & 18: The Tension Builds
On the long par 4 hole 17, McBeth’s drive drifted high into a tree, leaving him a tight line between two trees over 400 feet of OB to reach the basket. Gossage’s near-perfect drive left him with an open upshot to the green. McBeth laced his next shot near perfectly, leaving a 69-foot look for birdie, while Gossage’s upshot required a long putt from circle 2. Paul McBeth made his long birdie putt, regaining the solo lead entering the final hole.
On hole 18, both players threw near-identical drives, but Paul McBeth was slightly closer to the pin. Gossage then threw a massive spike forehand right next to the basket, forcing all the pressure onto Paul McBeth. McBeth’s upshot landed about 45 feet short, leaving a scary downhill putt for the win. The disc luckily settled near the basket after a short roll. Both players tapped in and shared the lead, sending the match into a playoff.
The Playoff
The playoff format required holes 16, 17, and 18 to be replayed until a winner was decided. A coin flip determined that Gossage would tee off first on island hole 16. Gossage left his forehand drive short, leaving McBeth needing only to land anywhere on the island green to secure the championship. McBeth did just that and, after a lay-up to the base of the basket, dropped in for his championship-winning par.
The King Has Returned
Despite a somewhat down year on tour (by McBeth standards), Paul McBeth earned his first tour win of the season and resumed the position he held for four consecutive years as the reigning world champion. He didn’t dominate or enter “McBeast Mode” during the week, but he showed the poise and precision of a savvy veteran who knows how to win under pressure.
This year’s world championship was about revenge for Paul McBeth. The final hole’s drama, the incredible shots from Gossage, and the playoff all reinforced the redemption narrative. After his phenomenal 69-foot putt on hole 17, Paul celebrated more than ever, and his post-match interview with Terry Miller revealed raw emotion—tears and all.
Don’t Sleep on Aaron Gossage
Aaron Gossage may have been a new name for many, but he left a strong impression. His performance indicates a promising future on tour, and many are already comparing his potential trajectory to other top pros. With near-zero bogeys this week, Gossage proved his game is real, and the sky’s the limit for him moving forward.
Photos courtesy of the Disc Golf Pro Tour.
